Alternanthera plant named ‘Creme de Menthe’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alternanthera  plant named ‘Creme de Menthe’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit; freely basal branching habit; bushy and dense growth habit; and green and pale yellow bi-colored leaves.

Botanical designation: Alternanthera ficoidea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Creme de Menthe’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following relatedapplications:

-   -   Alternanthera Plant Named ‘Cognac’.    -   Alternanthera Plant Named ‘Grenadine’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAlternanthera plant, botanically known as Alternanthera ficoidea, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Creme de Menthe’.

The new Alternanthera was discovered in September, 2002, by the Inventorin a controlled environment in Chamblee, Ga., as a naturally-occurringbranch mutation of the Alternanthera ficoidea cultivar Partytime,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,789. The cultivar Creme de Menthewas selected by the Inventor on the basis of its unique foliagecoloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings inChamblee, Ga. since October, 2002, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Alternanthera are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Creme de Menthe have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Creme de Menthe’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Creme de Menthe’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit; bushy and dense growth habit.    -   3. Green and pale yellow bi-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Alternanthera can be compared to plants of the parent,the cultivar Partytime. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inChamblee, Ga., plants of the new Alternanthera differed from plants ofthe cultivar Partytime in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alternanthera were taller than plants of        the cultivar Partytime.    -   2. Plants of the new Alternanthera had larger and glossier        leaves than plants of the cultivar Partytime.    -   3. Plants of the new Alternanthera and the cultivar Partytime        differed in foliage coloration as plants of the cultivar        Partytime had green, creamy white and red purple-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Alternanthera can also be compared to plants of thecultivars Cognac, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/022,012, and Grenadine, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 11/022,000. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamblee,Ga., plants of the new Alternanthera differed from plants of thecultivars Cognac and Grenadine primarily in leaf coloration as plants ofthe cultivar Cognac had dark purplish brown-colored leaves and plants ofthe cultivar Grenadine had brown and red purple bi-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance ofthe new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newAlternanthera. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typicalplants of ‘Creme de Menthe’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in theaforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown inAtlanta, Ga. during the summer in an outdoor nursery and underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 80 to90° F. and night temperatures ranged from 60 to 75° F. Plants were aboutfour months old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Alternanthera ficoidea cultivar Creme de    Menthe.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Alternanthera    ficoidea cultivar Partytime, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    14,789.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 80 to 90° F.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 days at 65 to 80°            F.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, summer.—About 21            days at 80 to 90° F.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, winter.—About 30            to 35 days at 65 to 80° F.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; off-white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and columnar plant habit;            vigorous.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 33 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 23 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching, about six basal            branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            formation; dense and bushy growth habit.        -   Basal branches.—Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 5.3 cm. Texture: Fine pubescence;            longitudinally ridged. Strength: Strong, but flexible.            Color: 146A overlain with 187B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 8.5 cm. Width: About 5.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute            to acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; slightly rugose.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: Irregular sectors of close to 147A and close to 9D.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Irregular sectors of            close to 147B and close to 11D. Fully expanded foliage,            upper and lower surfaces: Irregular sectors of close to 147A            and close to 9D. Venation, upper surface: More green than            147A and 9D. Venation, lower surface: Close to 144A and 9D.            Petiole: Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 146A overlain with 187A to 187B.-   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on    plants of the new Alternanthera.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Alternanthera have not been observed to be    resistant to pathogens or pests common to Alternanthera.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Alternanthera have been shown    to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures ranging from 32 to    more than 100° F.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Alternanthera plant named ‘Creme deMenthe’, as illustrated and described.